Afghan Taliban’s foreign ministry has condemned the ICC’s arrest warrants for its leaders

Afghanistan’s Taliban foreign ministry issued a statement on Friday expressing its strong condemnation and rejection of the International Criminal Court‘s (ICC) request for arrest warrants targeting two Taliban leaders. The ministry characterized the warrants, which allege the persecution of women and girls, as lacking a legitimate legal basis, marked by double standards, and driven by political motives.

The ICC prosecutor revealed on Thursday that he was seeking warrants for Haibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s supreme spiritual leader, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, who has held the position of chief justice in Afghanistan since 2021.

The prosecutor noted that persecution has been ongoing throughout Afghanistan since August 15, 2021, the date when Taliban forces seized control of Kabul following a two-decade insurgency against the Western-supported government. Since regaining power as foreign troops withdrew, the Taliban has imposed severe restrictions on women’s access to public life, employment, and education, including the closure of high schools and universities to female students.

The Taliban’s foreign ministry further stated, “It is unfortunate that during the two decades of occupation in Afghanistan, this institution (ICC) ignored the war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by foreign forces and their local allies.”

Human rights organization Amnesty International responded on Friday, calling the ICC prosecutor’s announcement “an important development.” Amnesty Secretary General Agnès Callamard emphasized, “This is a crucial step towards holding accountable all those allegedly responsible for the gender-based deprivation of fundamental rights.”

Amnesty International has urged the ICC prosecutor to revisit a 2021 decision that deprioritized investigations into alleged war crimes committed by international forces during their two-decade involvement in Afghanistan.

She expressed concern that this decision may foster the belief that international justice is applied selectively, favoring the interests of powerful nations and their allies while undermining the rights of victims of international law violations.